Sometimes They Come Back
by LookCloser2
Summary: My vision of Episode 512, Hundred. Based on minor spoilers. Naley with Jamie, Leyton


Please read and review. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters.

**SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK**

"Lucas Eugene Scott, do you take Lindsay Evelyn Strauss to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest's words resounded in the silent church as Lucas looked lovingly into Lindsay's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak when a deep voice resonated from the back of the church.

"You're making a mistake, Lucas," said Dan as he walked into the back of the church. "Your mother was the love of my life and I didn't marry her. Don't make the same mistake I did. You'll regret it for the rest of your life." His words fell on a shocked audience; not even a gasp was heard as the masses of gowned and suited family and friends held their breath.

Lindsay took Lucas' hands and looked deep into his eyes. "He's right, Luke. I love you. I always will. But you gave your heart away a long time ago. And the person you gave it to is sitting here watching you get married to me, because she loves you that much. But your father's right. She's the one you should be marrying. She's the love of your life, Luke, and no matter how much I wish it were me, I'm not, and I never will be. So go marry her, Luke. You deserve a chance at happiness together." With these words, Lindsay looked to the pews at Peyton and held out her hand.

Slowly, unsurely, Peyton rose and walked up the aisle to take Lindsay's hand. "Peyton," whispered Lindsay, "I meant every word. If this is what you want, you should have it." Lindsay took Lucas' limp hand and placed it in Peyton's. "Both of you."

Lucas smiled, sadly but wonderingly, and looked up at the two girls he loved most. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer," he asked softly, "Will you marry me?" Peyton's face broke into a wide smile as she threw herself into Lucas' arms. Laughing, he hugged her. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes!" cried Peyton. "Yes, Luke, I will marry you."

So Lucas Eugene Scott and Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer were married as they'd always known that they one day would be. Their family and friends gathered around them as the joyous couple left the church, throwing rice along with their congratulations and wishes of good luck.

A triumphant Dan watched from the shadows of a nearby tree, glad that his mistake had finally been corrected, at least in part. Only someone looking closely would see the pain behind the smile or recognize a broken man wishing only that he could go back and fix what he had done wrong. But nobody was looking closely enough. They had all cut Dan out of their lives a long time ago.

So from the shadows, Dan saw what no one else saw. He saw Andy whispering in Karen's ear and her turning to him with a grin, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him long and hard. He saw Nathan look longingly at Haley, perhaps thinking of their own wedding. And he saw Haley concentrating carefully on Lucas and Peyton, determined not to return her husband's gaze. And he saw something else. He saw a young woman walk up to little Jamie and whisper in his ear and then he watched as the same women pulled Jamie away from the crowd. When Nathan and Haley started wondering where Jamie was a few minutes later, they wouldn't think to ask Dan. By the time the story finally came out, it would be almost too late.

Nathan gazed at Haley as he had been all day, every chance he got. She was still angry, he knew, but he loved her so much. He just hoped that was enough.

_I'd like to have kids someday," murmured Nathan to Haley on their wedding night._

_"A son with your eyes," whispered Haley, dreamily._

_"No," Nathan countered with a smile. "A little girl, just like you."He kissed her then, never imagining that their dreams of a son would be realized so quickly, or nearly taken away in an instant._

"Nathan!" Haley's sharp voice pulled Nathan out of his reverie, surprised as he was pleased that she was talking to him. "Have you seen Jamie?"

"He was just right here," Nathan replied, looking down. "He told me he was going to go play with Lily." Both Nathan and Haley glanced searchingly around for Lily or Jamie. Lily was picking some flowers at Karen's feet, happily gathering the purple petals into her arms.

"Lily, have you seen Jamie?" demanded Haley.

"He said picking flowers was for girls," replied Lily, making a face. "He went to play with the nice lady."

"What nice lady?" cried Haley, beginning to panic. "Which way did he go, Lily?"

Hearing the commotion, Lucas came over, still gripping Peyton's hand tightly. "What's wrong, Hales?" he asked, gently.

"It's Jamie! I can't find Jamie! Lily said he followed a lady somewhere and now I don't know where he is and I can't find him and what if something happens to him? He's only a little boy!" gasped Haley, all in one sobbing breath.

"Shhh, it's okay, Haley," whispered Nathan as he caressed her back soothingly. "We'll find him." Haley flinched before leaning back into the comfort of her husband. He rubbed her shoulder and pulled her tight against his chest with his free arm. "We'll find him, Hales."

"I'm sorry, Luke," cried Haley ten minutes later as everybody grouped into search parties at Nathan and Haley's house. "I know this isn't how this day was supposed to be."

"It's okay, Haley. What's important now is finding Jamie. I have the rest of my life to spend with Peyton and with all of my friends." Lucas smiled lovingly at his best friend.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Lucas opened the door to find the one man he'd hoped never to see again on this Earth. It was Dan.

"You're not welcome here," stated Lucas firmly. "Not ever –"

Dan cut in. "I know who took Jamie," he said. "It was the young woman you hired as a nanny."

"How do you –" started Nathan, walking up behind his brother.

"It doesn't matter how I know. Just trust me, son. She was the one who took him."

"Why?" asked Lucas. "Why would she have taken him?"

"She wanted our life," replied Nathan, thinking hard. "She was jealous of what Haley and I had – our love, our house, our son…Luke – I know where she took him. She attended Pontiac, the school we played in the school championship. She told me she cried for days after we beat them. But she wanted what we had, Luke. She wanted to have won that game. She took him to the gym where we were that night. I know it."

"Haley!" cried Lucas. "Haley, we think we know where Jamie is!"

In the midst of the haste to get out the door, Dan was forgotten. He didn't mind. They would come running back to him shortly. He got into his car and drove to an old, stone house across town.

"Nanny Carrie," asked Jamie from the backseat of Carrie's car. "Where are we going?"

"Your mommy and daddy had a surprise for you. There's someone they want you to meet." Carrie pulled over to the curb next to a sprawling, stone house that Nathan would have recognized, but that Jamie didn't.

"Who is it, Nanny Carrie?" He climbed out of the car and onto the lawn next to Carrie.

"Well, Jamie, this," she motioned to the dark-haired man walking up to them, "is your Grandpa Dan."

Jamie visibly froze at the name, but he frowned quickly at Dan. "Mommy and Daddy said that you were very bad and you had to go in a timeout. I had a dream that you got me and you were a monster. But you don't look like a mean monster."

"I'm not a mean monster," said Dan, smiling. "I've waited a long time to meet you, Jamie. I have some milk and cookies waiting inside. Would you like some?" Jamie nodded eagerly and followed Dan inside. He didn't notice Carrie slip away nor did he notice the money that Dan slyly passed to Carrie before she left.

The search party never reached the empty parking lot of the gym where the state championships had been played. They passed an accident scene first – an accident involving a car they recognized – Carrie's car. The young adults piled out of Lucas' car in time to see a banged up, bleeding Carrie on a stretcher being loaded into the ambulance.

"Carrie! Where is my son?" demanded Nathan, angrily. He was petrified that something had happened to Jamie, but he didn't see his son on the scene.

"I did a bad thing, Nate," whispered Carrie, groggily. She placed her hand on Nathan's forearm. As he brushed it off it left a smear of crimson blood. "He's with Dan. I took him to see his Grandpa Dan at your old house."

"You did _what_?" screamed Nathan, aghast. Had the paramedics not pushed him away and swung the ambulance doors shut then, Carrie might have ended up in an even worse state. Instead, Nathan grabbed the car keys from Luke and jumped into the car.

"Why did Mommy and Daddy say you were a bad man?" asked Jamie, curiously. He was perched on a bar stool at the kitchen counter eating chocolate chip cookies dipped in milk. His short legs swung back and forth, high above the wooden floorboards.

"Sometimes I wasn't very nice to your Daddy. But I loved him very much, you know, just like I love you. I thought about meeting you every day while I was away. Your daddy gave me a picture of you, once. I have it right here." Dan pulled a photograph from his pocket and showed it to Jamie. It was the picture Nathan had left for him the one time his son had come to visit – to say goodbye, he thought for forever.

"That was my school picture," declared Jamie proudly. "A man came to take pictures of everybody and I had to smile a big smile. He made funny faces and I laughed and then there was a big flash and he said I was all done."

"Well, it's a very nice picture, Jamie," Dan told his grandson, just before the front door banged open and Nathan's yells echoed through the front hall.

Within seconds, Nathan had discovered the pair eating a snack in the kitchen. He snatched Jamie up and cradled him against his chest. "How could you, Dad?" yelled Nathan.

"Nathan – I – He's my grandson. I just wanted a chance to get to know him."

"He's my son, not some kid you can manipulate or make love you, Dad. You may have controlled me, but I cut you out of my life a long time ago and I'm not going back. Stay away from my family and stay away from me!" With those words, Nathan strode back to his car where a tearful Haley gathered the little boy into her arms.

"What did he say, Nate?" Lucas asked.

"It doesn't matter. He's never getting near any of us ever again," Nathan replied briskly and coldly. "He stopped being my father the day I emancipated myself and he stopped being a part of my life the day those iron gates swung shut with him behind them." Lucas nodded. They were better off with Dan out of their lives. Dan understood this too, but nobody was left to watch the tear roll down his cheek for all the lives he had destroyed and all the choices he could never take back.

Nathan and Haley sat on a couch by the roaring fire at Lucas and Peyton's wedding reception. Jamie was asleep with his head on Nathan's lap; Haley gently stroked his spiky, blond hair.

"Thank you for being there today, Nate. I don't know what I would have done without you," spoke Haley softly.

"I'll always be here for you, Haley," Nathan murmured back. "I love you, Haley. I always have, from the first moment I laid eyes on you."

"I have something to tell you, Nathan. I've been waiting for the perfect time." Haley paused and bit her lip, her wide brown eyes watching Nathan.

"Go on, tell me, Hales," prompted Nathan.

"You know how back when we got married, we discussed having kids someday?"

"A son with my eyes and a little girl just like you," answered Nathan with a smile. "I've been thinking about that all day, every time I see you. I missed being with you, Haley. This past week was something I never want to have to go through again. I love you, and I love the family we've made together."

"Well, what would you say if I told you that family is going to get a little bit bigger?" Haley questioned.

"Do you mean it, Hales?"

"Yes, Nathan. I'm pregnant."

"Then I would say that's just about perfect," replied Nathan contentedly, wrapping his arm around Haley's shoulders and pulling her against him. "I could love you forever, Haley James Scott. I promise." He sealed his promise with a kiss. Neither noticed when Jamie shifted and opened his eyes to see his parents back together, as deeply in love as ever before.


End file.
